1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording video data, audio data, and so forth to a recording medium, in particular, to a recording apparatus for recording an index file which hierarchically stores index data of recorded data of a recording medium to itself. In addition, the present invention relates to a recording method for use with such a recording apparatus and a recording medium for recording the index file. Moreover, the present invention relates to an electronic camera having such a recording apparatus.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, in a recording apparatus such as a camcorder which records video data, audio data, and so forth, a plurality of pieces of data of several scenes are recorded as files on a disc shaped recording medium such as a magneto-optical disc or an optical disc. Such a recording apparatus equipped with a display portion, such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic electroluminescence display panel, and a sound generating portion, such as a speaker, is known as a recording and reproducing apparatus having functions for reproducing and editing recorded data.
When a recording medium for use with such a recording apparatus or a recording and reproducing apparatus has a large storage capacity, the user often records scenes photographed on different dates, scenes photographed at different places to which he or she travels, scenes photographed for different events, and other scenes to the recording medium.
With such a recording medium on which a plurality of scenes have been recorded as different files, by designating user's desired file, he or she can select his or her desired data as an object to reproduce and/or edit.
Although a desired file can be designated by inputting for example a file name, if a plurality of files, in particular, a lot of files have been recorded on a recording medium, it is difficult for the user to memorize all file names recorded on the recording medium.
To solve such a problem, an index file which stores a collection of pieces of information for identifying the contents of a plurality of files recorded on the recording medium (this collection of pieces of information is referred to as index information) is necessary. It can be supposed that the recording and reproducing apparatus displays the index file on the display portion and the user designates his or her desired file with reference to the displayed index file.
The index file is for example a file which is a collection of representative scenes of individual files, a file which is a collection of representative sounds for several seconds of individual files, a file which is a collection of representative character strings of individual files, or a file which is a collection of combinations of several of scenes, sounds, and character strings of individual files.
Even if such an index file has been recorded on the recording medium, when index information corresponding to a plurality of files is displayed on the display portion in a similar manner, it is still difficult for the user to look for his or her desired file from the plurality of files. In other words, since all the index information is handled in the same manner, although it has to be displayed at a time, the display portion has a limited display area. Thus, all the index information cannot be displayed at a time. Consequently, the recording and reproducing apparatus displays a part of the index information at a time and successively updates the displayed contents. In such a manner, the recording and reproducing apparatus displays all the index information. Thus, until the user fully looks for his or her desired file, he or she needs much labor and time. In particular, the more the record capacity increases, the more critical this problem becomes.
In addition, the user may want to manage a plurality of files recorded on a recording medium corresponding to one common factor such as each recorded date, each place to which he or she traveled, each event, or the like.
In addition, the user may want to manage a plurality of files recorded on a recording medium by creating a “favorite file list” which is a collection of scenes corresponding to his or her purpose.